Look out, world. Here comes another promising Japanese dirt contender with lofty ambitions, hot on the heels of Kentucky Derby (G1) third-place finisher Forever Young .
Ramjet , a Majestic Warrior colt, romped to a six-length victory June 5 in the Tokyo Derby at Oi Racecourse, the second leg of the brand-new Japan Dirt Triple Crown series. It was his fourth straight win.
The colt did not contest the first leg of the series, the Haneda Hai, won by Amante Bianco , so there is no chance of a Triple Crown winner. Amante Bianco, closely related to the popular pure white mare Sodashi , did not contest the Tokyo Derby.
The dirt series is still building momentum in Japan, where turf racing offers vastly bigger purses and captures much of the public’s attention. But after signal victories around the world, including Dubai, Saudi Arabia, the Breeders’ Cup, and Forever Young’s performance in Louisville, Ky., the racing establishment is working hard to build interest.
Ramjet’s connections, though, are looking well beyond the still-developing local dirt circuit.
“He will run in the Japan Dirt Classic (a local grade 1 Oct. 2 at Oi) after a summer break, and I want him to match with Forever Young,” said trainer Shozo Sasaki. “If possible, next year we will be able to see him challenge the overseas big races as well. … He has not raced seriously yet.”
The Tokyo Derby ultimately presented little challenge for Ramjet and jockey Kosei Miura although the colt seemed to take a few strides to find a second wind on the second of two hairpin turns going right-handed on the Oi track.
After racing just behind the leading duo, Miura took Ramjet outside them to mount a challenge entering the bend. He suddenly dropped back, losing nearly two lengths, then regained control, took the lead, and won easily. He ran 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) in 2:06.1, a decent time for the course and distance.
Miura said he wasn’t bothered by Ramjet’s jet lag turning for home.
“Though he still a little bit idled at the home turn, I was sure he would catch the front after, so I was careful for him not to lose concentration after he hit the front. … He manages to win in surprising ways every time,” the rider said.
The colt finished 2023 with a victory in a 1,400-meter (about seven-furlong) dirt sprint at Chukyo Racecourse. He then won the listed Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse in February to open his 3-year-old campaign, going 1,600 meters (about one mile). His third straight score came in the Unicorn Stakes (G3) at Kyoto Racecourse as he stretched out to 1,900 meters (about 1 3/16 miles).
The Hyacinth was part of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, won by T O Password , who overcame all kinds of traffic issues to finish a closing fifth in the Kentucky Derby. Amante Bianco won the first leg of the Japan Road series and Forever Young won the second before detouring to the Middle East, where he won the Saudi Derby (G3) and the UAE Derby (G2) before his dramatic effort at Churchill Downs.
The bloodlines for high-level, classic-distance success on the dirt certainly are there in Ramjet.
He was produced by the Gold Allure mare Nefertiti , whose dam was La Verita , in turn a daughter of Unbridled’s Song. Majestic Warrior was sired by A.P. Indy.
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